The New Jersey Devils are on the outside looking in at a playoff spot thanks to a seven-game winless streak (0-3-4) that has left them two points behind both the Rangers and Islanders for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Only two of the Devils’ nine remaining games will be against teams currently below New Jersey in the standings. The Devils last win against a team currently in one of the top eight spots was back on February 21 at Washington.

Here are the Devils’ records so far this season against the teams they will face the rest of the way:

Before appearing in the 1-0 loss in Boston, Sullivan had last played for the Devils 16 years and 45 days ago on February 20, 1997 in a 2-2 tie at Florida.

Five days later, Sullivan was traded to Toronto with Jason Smith and Alyn McCauley in exchange for Doug Gilmour and Dave Ellett.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Sullivan’s time between stints with one NHL team now ranks third in NHL history behind Brendan Shanahan (New Jersey: March 31st, 1991-January 19th, 2009 — 17 years, 294 days) and Randy Cunneyworth (Buffalo: December 17th, 1981-November 7th, 1998 — 16 years, 325 days).

Sullivan scored his first goal in his return to the Devils in the 3-2 shootout loss in Buffalo. It was Sullivan’s first goal for New Jersey since February 15, 1997 — a 4-1 Devils win at Montreal.

Here are the longest gaps between goals in separate stints with the Devils:

Sullivan recently appeared in his 1,000th NHL game. Only 13 other players who were originally selected by New Jersey in the entry draft have played in at least that many NHL game. And Sullivan, who was taken 233rd overall in 1994, is the only one who was not drafted in the first three rounds: